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E A. MEJIA.

. Machine Gun.

No. 62,281 Patented Feb. '19, 1867 ILPQHIS, FHDTO-LITHOMAPBER. WAsHmGTm. 0 G

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IMPROVEMENT IN MANPBARRBLLED GUNS.

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Be it known that I, ENRIQUE A. MEJIA, of the city and republic of Mexico, have invented and madecertaiu new and useful improvements in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a.-

reference marked thereon.

full and exact description thereof. reference being had to th'e accompanying drawings, and to the letters of .Figure is a top view. of the fire-arm. Figure 2 is a longitudinal side view I Figure 3 isa longitudinal sectional view, exposing a portion of the mechanism and the cartridge. Figure 4 is a partial sectional view, also showing the mechanism. Figure 5 is a front view of the detachable cartridge chamber or charge magazine. Figure 6 is a viewof'the cam cylinder or trigger device.

Figure 7 represents the peculiar-formed bullet or projcctilensed in connection with my breech-loading fire-arms.

The nature of my improvements in breech-loading fire-arms relates more particularly to the construction and arrangement of the new devices for loading and discharging a series of two o'r'more parallel barrels, connected on to a suitable framc'in such a manner as to admit of using, by hand in a portable manner, said fire-arm as auveapon of defence in travelling through unsafe regions of country by stage or other conveyance.

The construction and operation of my improvement I will herewith describe, so as to enable others to make and use the same.

- In fig. 1, a a a a mark four gun or pistol barrels, of suitable size, arranged parallel to each other, being confined together near the middle of their length by a cross-tie piece, 6 b, the butcnds of the barrels being inserted securely into the end rail 0 c of a frame, (2 12 (Z d, c e,ff, formed, with a compartment enclosedwith a bottom or undebframing, y g, within which compartment is fitted, to slide in and out when desired, the detachable chamber or magazine it it, which enters through a smoothly-fitting mortise formed in the right-hand side of the frame, as marked by 2' z, J'J, in fig. 2. At K K is indicated an aide, of suitable diameter, having formed around its circumference at equal intervals S-like or double cams, LL L L, the ends of which, as arranged, are not in one and the same right line or plane, but in different planes, which are at equal distances from each other, the ends of each cam lying=in a right line or plane of its own, as will be seen more distinctly by reference to fig. 6. At an mis a plunger block or hammer head, mortised or cut through horizontally, as indicated by the ark or shaded formation in figs. 3 and 4, leaving a small notch or step-like formation, at, and a rcccss, c, said plunger block having formed on or attached to one end a plunger), of required length and of corresponding diameter to the bore or cartrid 'c chamber. The lun cr block m m is also mortiscd throu h verticall as ma 2. P c S y: y

be seen by reference tothe' smaller fig. 1, and each doublc cam L L works or rotates within one of said plunger blocks, although but one is represented in the drawings, whilo four cams are represented as designed, said cams beingfiarranged to rotate inthe longitudinal direction of the movement of the plunger block m m. At 9 r a is marked a wirespring, either flat or round, one end of which is inserted securely into the but eud rail of the frame f f, tlS shown in figs. 3 and 4; said spring being bent or curved as shown, the forward portion being bent-upwardly, vertically, and lying or pressing within a groove or depression formed in the vertical mortise of the plunger block, as indicated at s, in 3 and 4. Between the side of theplunger block mm and the framing d cl is arranged a continuous or circular ratchet-wheel, t, faintly shown in figs. 1 and 4, the teeth of which are opposite the rear end of the frame ff. Against the teeth of said ratchet rests a small detent, u, pressing against which is a wire spring, V, and to the end of the axle k k, on the outside of the framing d d, is secured an interval ratchet-wheel it, formed with two series of five teeth, at equal intervals between each series or set of teeth, shown in 2 and 4. At it 1/ is shown-'a'winoh handle or trigger hammer, connected to a cross-strip, a z, fig. 1, and indicated by the dots in figs. 3 and 4, this orossstrip passing beneath the frame (Z c1, and eonnectcdon to a short strip, &c., (figs. 1, 3, and 4,) the end of the axle K being fastened or tenoned therein, thus making a yoke-like connection of the winch handle :c :2: with the axle K, as seen in fig. 1. At tach'ed to the inner side of the winch handle a: x is a suitable moving detcnt or pawl, a, fig. 4, with a wire spring, [2 The-two circular dots, c" 0", indicate small holes, 0110 in the winch handle and one in the side of the frame (id, for the insertion of a pin to hold or look the winch handle back in position, so as to keep the plunger block m mat full cock, when the winch handle is in the back position indicated by the dotsd d fig. 2, and as shown in fig. 1. At fig. 5 is shown a full-size detachable chambeuor magazine, with the four circular perforations within which the charges or cartridges are deposited. In fig. 2, at 2' i, J J, is shown an end view of the detachable chamber, and J marks the form of a groove or channel made through the length of the rear side, and within which groove, opposite each bore, is secured a nipple or cup piece, as shown in the sectional view, fig. 3. ,At fig. 7 is shown my peculiar-shaped bullet, formed with a series of five collars or rings, and having a short, abrupt cone end, the base of the cone not any greater in diameter than the body of the bullet. In order to securely attach the cartridge case to the bullet, the but end thereof must be formed with a suitable shoulder or rabbet, onto which the cartridge case, enclosing thecharge of powder, may be tied or secured in any suitable manner. The

spaces between each ring oncollar must be the same width as the surface of the collars, whilst the rise. of the collars above the surface of the cylinder of the bullet, must be from one-half to three-fourths the width of thelcollar. The object of this form of bullet is to admit of being used in a smooth-bore chamber, which is slightly larger'indiameter than the bore of the barrel, andalso to dispense with entirely enclosing the bullet in the cartridge case, and thereby also to allow the bullet to pack or ram itself securely and closely to the bore of the gun, thus preventing windage or escape of the force of the powder around the body of the bulletns it passes through the bore of the gun; for each collar or ring will fold backward, over on to the main body of the bullet, and thereby produce greater force, in conforming closely to the bore of the barrel. In fig. 3 the.bul let is shown within the chambcrof the detachable magazine. with a sectional view of the cartridge case,- showing the charge of powder and the nipple cl screwed into the detachable magazine It It, which is shown in figs. 1, 3, and 5. In the use of my improvements it is designed to have in readiness a number of the detachable chambers or magazines h 72- loatled with the bullets and cartridges, so that when the charges of one are expended, another loaded one can be in readiness to be inserted through the mortise it, J J, as shown in fig. 2, and as representedpartially inserted in fig. 1, and as seen in section, fig. 3. p

The operation of my improvements is as follows, viz 'Io coclethe mechanism, the winch handle a: y z is pressed forward towards the barrels, as seen in figs. 2, 3, and 4, which movement brings the detent a immediately against the teeth of' the ratchet w 20, when a half backward movement of the winch makes the half cock, when a second whole movement forward and a second slight backward movement lets the plunger fly forward, thus exploding the charge. In figs. 1 and 3 the plunger 1) is withdrawn from the cartridge chamber. In fig.

- 3 the doublecam L L is in position of full cock, the end resting against the notch or step 71. of the plunger -2: 3/ z, substantially as set forth and described.

block "in m, and as the winch handle a: y z, fig. 3, is drawn backward towards the but end ff of the frame, the double cam L L rotates partially, when the end is released from the notch m, and there being ajspace at o, the plunger block mm drives forward, forcing the plunger 1; against the nipple d by the action of the spring q 8. Owing to the intervals or blank spaces to 10 of the ratchet w w, the detent a only catches at intervals against the teeth, whilst the checking or looking, dctent u will act all the time against the rotating ratchet t, figs. 1 and 4, the object of which is to prevent the axle K and the double cams L L from turning backward, as the winch handle x3 .2 is moved forward, and its interval ratchet w w is rotated. It'will be observed that the' winch handle my 2 has not a continuous rotating movement, but is reciprocutcd, or moved back and forth, whilst-the repeated backward movement causes the detent a to rotate forward the interval ratchet w w, and the axle K, with its several cams L L L L. In my improvements I dispense entirely with the gun-lock, trigger, and hammer, and other delicate and intricate mechanism. I

I am well aware that two or more, one. series. of parallel gun barrels or cannon-have been arranged together, and the several charges thereof have been exploded and discharged simultaneously, by devices-termed f tripha-mmers andsimultaneously-acting triggers; but such parallel arrangements, trip-hammers, and triggers, I do not claim, as they are well-known. But what I do claim is as follows, viz:

I claim the construction of a rotating axle provided with and having thereon a series of double cams, L L L L, of the shape shown, and so arranged or disposed around 'the circumference of said axle as that their ends are situated in different planes, or right-lines, relative to each other, as in figs. 1 and 6, each of said cams being situated and working within .a vertical-slotted and side-mortised plunger block or hammer-head, m m, n 0, together with the interval ratchet-wheelw w, the continuous ratchet t, the dctents a u, the plain-spring q r s, and the ratchet-spring b 2); the whole combined with and operated by a hand trigger or winch handle a: y z, whereby and through all of which the charges or loads of a series of gun barrels or detachable magazines may be exploded and discharged in rapid succession by the backward and forward movement of said winch handle ENRIQUE A. MEJIA.

Witnesses:

ALFRED Knnnnr, W. S. BENEDICT. 

